What Comes Next
by Libra Sorceress
Summary: One-shot sequel to 'Skeletons In The Closet'. Ever wondered what happens after they walk into the sunset?


**What Comes Next**

He tiptoed in, silently as he could manage. Man, she was gonna _kill _him…

He wasn't disappointed.

"_Where the fuck have you been??!!"_ Kagome screeched, flinging something at him. The something made a very expensive noise when it impacted and smashed with the wall behind his head.

He winced. That had been a close one…

"It was Miroku's stag do," he offered. "I told you I would be home late."

"_IT IS NOT LATE, IT IS EARLY!!" _she howled at him, hefting another heavy-looking object.

Inuyasha sighed. Damn hormones.

Kagome was pregnant. Very pregnant. Due-in-three-weeks pregnant. And Miroku and Sango's wedding had been planned for the next week. With a sense of self-preservation, Inuyasha had volunteered to be the designated driver for his best friend's stag do, just as Kagome had been for Sango's hen night. He had hoped that the fact he was coming home completely sober, albeit at four a.m, would placate her.

Yeah. It hadn't worked.

He sincerely hoped Ayame was giving Koga hell right now.

He didn't even have to hope with Miroku and Sango. Miroku would be lucky if he could stand before the altar, if Sango got on his case.

"Kagome, baby," he said calmly, "I'm sorry I'm late, I really am, but Miroku and Koga got completely hammered, and then they decided to try and climb a tree, and I had to stop them, and then the damn car broke down, and-"

"I DON'T WANT YOUR BLOODY EXCUSES!!" Kagome screamed at him.

Ok, who had taken away his sweet, loving, mild-tempered Kagome and hidden her for the last eight months, only to replace her with this monster?!

"Just calm down," he reasoned. "It's not good for the baby."

"YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE BABY?! MAKING ME WORRY, MAKING ME FREAK OUT, MAKING ME EAT AN ENTIRE TUB OF CHOCOLATE FUDGE RIPPLE, IS NOT GOOD FOR THE BABY!!"

"You ate all that ice cream?" Inuyasha asked disbelievingly.

Oh crap.

Kagome's face crumpled.

"You think I'm fat, don't you?" she said, her voice heartbroken.

"No, honey," he soothed, "No, I don't. You're beautiful, my angel." Inside, he was seriously panicking. Big time. He had learned this from Sesshomaru: NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER, make an observation to a pregnant woman about her weight. NEVER.

"So why did you say it?" Kagome asked, her voice heartbroken, a sob evident in the way her lower lip trembled. Inuyasha's heart sank as he realised she was using the ultimate weapon. Puppy eyes.

He walked forward, and rested one hand gently on her swollen stomach, the other in her hair. "You're gorgeous," he whispered huskily, bringing his lips to her forehead. "Absolutely glowing."

Against his hand, he felt a jolt, and smiled.

"Guess my baby knows his daddy," he said proudly, looking at Kagome with a triumphant air."

She rolled her eyes, her heartache completely forgotten. "He's been doing that all day. Increasingly."

"I like feeling the kick," Inuyasha said mildly, rubbing his hand slowly back and forth."

"Yeah, well try being one of my kidneys," Kagome said grumpily. But she didn't really have the heart to be grumpy with her husband. He was just too darn cute when he was all doting like that. Again, she felt the baby kick, and frowned.

Realisation hit her, and the colour drained from her face.

"Oh holy shit," she breathed.

The next second, she was doubling over, one hand braced against her stomach, the other using Inuyasha's shoulder to hold her up.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's worried voice came. "Kagome! Are you ok? What happened?!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome said, very, very calmly, "I would be very much obliged if you would help me over to the chair, then run upstairs, get the bag, then go back out there and start the car."

She felt something warm trickle between her legs.

Crap.

"Kagome! What is it?!"

"Will you please just do as I asked?!" Kagome snapped, irritation evident in her voice.

"Is it… is the baby… is he…"

"Yes, of course the baby is fucking coming!" she griped. "You see that puddle on the carpet?! I didn't just wet myself!"

Inuyasha stared at her, too conflicted to move.

"WILL YOU GET A FUCING MOVE ON TAKAHASHI, OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET THE DAY YOU GOT ME PREGNANT!!" she screeched.

He bolted into action.

…

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!!!" Kagome screamed. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU ARROGANT, SELF-CENTRED, SEX-OBSESSED, THINKING-WITH-YOUR-DICK MALE PRICK!!!"

"She'll like you again when this is over," the attending nurse said comfortingly.

"HE IS IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!!! I SWEAR TO GOD I AM TAKING HIS HALF-DOG ARSE TO THE VETS TO GET HIM NEUTRED!!!"

"Of course you are, dear," the doctor said. "We'll make an appointment later. Now, just breathe for me, honey,"

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I'M DOING, IF I'M NOT BREATHING??!! I DON'T HAVE FUCKING GILLS!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH, OW THAT HURTS!!!"

"That's because the baby's coming, Kagome," Inuyasha said, rubbing soothing circles on her hand. "It's going to hurt, but it'll be over soon, I promise."

"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT IT!!! YOU HAVE A PENIS!!! YOU'LL NEVER BEAR A CHILD!!! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE ME ADVICE ON THIS, YOU SOD!! GNNNGH!"

"Inuyasha," came Sango's voice, from outside. "Can we borrow you for a minute?"

Silently, Inuyasha praised whatever God was up there. Kissing his wife on her sweaty forehead, he whispered, "I'll be right back, baby,"

"YOU'D BETTER BE!!! I AM NOT ABOVE USING MY SPIRITUAL POWER TO PURIFY YOUR HALF-DEMON ARSE!!! AND IF I MISS YOU, I'LL GET SESSHOMARU AND KAGURA TO HUNT YOU DOWN!!!"

"Yes dear," he said soothingly. Then he bolted from the room.

"Sango, I love you," he said, once he was a safe distance from the screaming maniac whom he was hopelessly in love with.

Sango grinned. "Don't let Kagome hear you saying that," she warned, "Or you'll be sleeping on the couch until your kid's in college."

"Feh."

"The reason I called you out here," Sango said, "Is because Ayame needs photos. Lots and lots of photos."

Inuyasha wasn't sure what was worse. Kagome in labour, or Ayame with a camera.

…

"COME ON KAGOME!! ONE MORE PUSH!!" Inuyasha shouted to her, from his position at the end of the bed. "COME ON BABY, YOU CAN DO IT!!"

"I can't," Kagome sobbed, leaning back onto the pillows. "It hurts too much, I'm not strong enough,"

"Come on, Kagome," Inuyasha said, looking into her chocolate eyes. "I know you can do this."

"I can't," she cried. "Can you do it for me?"

His heart broke at the sight of her. Pale, sweating, and spent, she had tear tracks running down her face.

"If I could, I would," he said, softly. "But I can't baby. You faced down Naraku, remember? One more push. Come on, honey. One push, and you're safe."

Kagome nodded, her breathing speeding, her eyes not leaving Inuyasha's face.

She visibly tightened when the contraction hit.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

…

"Congratulations," the doctor said softly, bringing the tiny bundle to Inuyasha. "You have a baby boy."

Inuyasha took the tiny bundle, looking wonderingly into the small opening. The baby had a red face, a tiny bow-shaped mouth, and big golden eyes, already staring solemnly into his father's face. A head of black hair was completed with two silver ears.

"Look what we made," he whispered to Kagome, looking reverently at his son. Never, in his entire life, had he seen anything so… amazing. Beautiful. Fulfilling.

Kagome held out her arms, and he wordlessly handed the silent baby to his mother.

"What are you going to call him?" the doctor asked, looking intently at the two of them.

Without tearing his eyes from the sight of the love of his life cradling his firstborn, Inuyasha said simply. "Kyo. Kyo Takahashi."

Kagome looked up at him, her eyes widening, before they filled with tears.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she murmured, looking back down at her son. "Thank you so much. Dad would have liked that."

Father, mother and son stayed, Inuyasha with his arm around his mate, and Kagome with her arms protectively shielding her child from the world, both of them looking at their son.

Both of them looking at the future.

And it was a beautiful future that they saw.


End file.
